The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical And Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has Picketed the offices of the Direct Labour Agency (DLA) in Asaba.
The DLA chapter of the Union has accused the Director General, Mr. Emmanuel Edafe Igbini of fraud and appealed to the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan to urgently sack him.
When Blank NEWS Online visited the premises of the DLA in Asaba, the gates were securely locked with a warning: “Industrial Action In Progress!!! No Entry -By Order”
A reliable source hinted Blank NEWS Online that the aggrieved worker and union members chased the indicted DG, Emmanuel Igbini out out of office, while another said he narrowly escaped being beaten up as a result of his insistence to stay in office but was whisked away by some DLA personnel.
Igbini is alleged to have misappropriated huge sums of money released by the state government for the purchase of equipment and road maintenance across the state.
A dependable source told Blank NEWS Online that, “He approves, he buys and sell alone. When he assumed office, he inherited over N1bn (One Billion naira) cash, aside equipment and he lied to the state government that he used the monies for the repairs of equipment.
“But now, over N2bn (Two Billion naira) given to him by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for road intervention and maintenance is now being used by him to purchase scraps to make quick wealth…
According to the Chairman of AUPCTRE in the DLA, Comrade Ifeanyi Chukwurah, “DLA is a Delta state intervention agency on road maintenance but the DG has no respect for constituted institutions and due process which is supposed to be the watchword of every government establishment.
The various placards on display also read: “DLA is a parastatal of government and not a family business, therefore due process must be obeyed”, “Igbini not fit to manage staff facilities”, “EFCC come and investigate Igbini. He must not go unpunished”, “We now know why Igbini was sacked from ELF as junior staff over 13 years ago”, “Igbini! Reactionary Comrade, who appointed you made a great mistake”, “Gov. Uduaghan, pls replace Igbini now to save DLA”.
Despite the efforts of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Labour Relations asd former state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Mike Okeme and others, the workers insisted on going on with its industrial actions until the sack of the indicted DG.
All attempts by Blank NEWS Online to reach the DG of DLA was unsuccessful, just as it was disclosed that he had been directed not to speak yet on the issue.
Engr. Emmanuel Edafe Igbini, a former Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Delta State contested against Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2007 and during the Court of Appeal-ordered rerun in the state, until his appointment in form of compensation on August 10, 2011 by Governor Uduaghan.
